GodofThunder
2018-01-07, 09:33 PM
Just recently getting back into D&D and looking trough 5e. I think that the core rules are excellent, but there's a lot of room for improvement. I've always been passionate about psionics. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for monks. I think both are kinda broken in the core 5e rules. As I read through the Soul Knife and Mystic, I feel like I'm reading an alternate version of monk. With that in mind, here's my idea (needs some pruning) for a Soul Knife based Monk.
The Way of the Mind Blade:
Conjure Mind Blades
At 3rd level a monk choosing the Way of Soul Blade can now create semisolid blades composed of pure psychic energy that they have distilled from their minds. These blades typically extend from the monk's hands or fists by default, but can also be instantaneously transferred to their feet or whatever part of the body they are using for unarmed strikes at that moment (elbows, knees, etc.) By default Mind Blades are 6 inches in length. They can be lengthened or shorted by 6 inches at will, for a maximum of 1 foot and a minimum of 0 feet. (A 0 foot Mind Blade still exists right at the surface of the skin on the monk's hand, foot, etc.) The Mind Blade glows phosphorescently in the color of their soul, and sheds dim light in a 5 feet radius. Strikes with these mind blades count as unarmed strikes and follow the monk's unarmed attack progression in every way, with the exceptions that they deal piercing/slashing damage, may offer slightly increased reach and are not physically part of the monk's body. The blades last until the monk dispels them or loses consciousness. The monk can choose to throw one of their mind blades per round as a ranged weapon with a range of 30/60 feet. They use their Wisdom modifier to making such attacks. Whether or not the attack hits, the mind blade then dissipates and must be reformed by the monk. Mind Blades function as magical weapons for the purpose of hitting targets resistant to non-magical attacks.
The monk can manifest and use two Mind Blades at a time, typically one extending from each hand or fist. In addition, the monk has the ability to infuse their Mind Blades with destructive psychic energy. By spending 1 ki point (one 1 ki point per Mind Blade if they so choose), they can charge their Mind Blades and on the next successful attack the Mind Blade deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage to the target. This psychic damage increases by a 1d8 when they reach 7th level (2d8), 12th level (3d8), 17th level (4d8).
Mind Blade Enhancement:
At level 6 the monk's Mind Blades gain a bonus of +1 to attack and damage rolls and are treated as +1 magical weapons. This bonus increases to a +2 at level 11 and a +3 at level 17.
In addition, the monk gains the ability to absorb enchantments from magical weapons and permanently infuse them into their Mind Blades. To do this, the monk must take one hour during a long rest focusing on absorbing the enchantments from any magic weapon they are attuned to, then infusing it into their Mind Blades. All of the weapon's magical properties are permanently transferred into their Mind Blades. They can only have one infusion at a time affecting both mind blades equally. If the monk attempts to infuse the enchantments of another magical weapon, the previous Mind Blade enchantments are defused and permanently lost. Once used, the magical weapon permanently loses all of it's magical properties and enchantments. This ability only functions on magical weapons and will not work on other magical items. The Mind Blades effective enchantment bonus can exceed, but may never drop below its level based magical bonus: So +1 at level 6, +2 at level 11, +3 at level 17. For example, a level 17 Way of the Mind Blade monk absorbing a Scimitar of Speed +1 would result in both of their Mind Blades becoming Mind Blades of Speed +3.
The monk also gains the ability to alter their Mind Blade's form. The monk can spend one full round to mentally reform both mind blades into any weapon they are proficient with. The Mind Blade will continue to glow phosphorescently and will remain the color of the monk's soul. The monk can reform his Mind Blades into either two one-handed weapons or one two-handed weapon. As long as the monk maintains passive focus and is within 60 feet of it, the Mind Blade will remain in the chosen form for as long as they want it to. Loss of focus (example: going to sleep or losing consciousness) causes the weapon to dissipate, just like the Mind Blades it was formed from. The monk must reform the weapon if he wants it back again.
Due to the rigorous mental training and increased affinity with their Mind Blades, at level 6 monks following the Way of the Mind Blade gain resistance to Psychic damage and advantage in all saving throws against fear, charm, mind control effects and any affect that would attempt to alter your mind.
Power Of The Soul:
Starting at 11th level, a Mind Blade monk can use their soul to conjure additional effects onto your attacks. When their attack hits, they can spend 1 ki point to choose one effect to add to their attack. The monk can use this ability a number of times equal to their Wisdom Modifier + their Proficiency Bonus, and regain all uses at the end of a long rest.
Flames of Hatred: The monk's attack damage type becomes fire based and the target must make a Dexterity Saving Throw against your Mind Blade DC or be set on fire, a target that is on fire takes 2d10 fire damage at the start of their turn until they or another creature uses an action to douse the flames. This damage increases to 3d10 at level 17. Creature making a successful save takes half damage and is not set on fire.
Soul of Ice: The monk's Soul Blade attacks are infused with icy cold. The target must make a Constitution save or take 3d6 cold damage and is slowed for 1d4 rounds. This damage increases to 4d6 at level 17. Targets making a successful save take half damage and are not slowed.
Touch of of the Thunder God: The monk's Mind Blade is infused with electricity. The target must make a Strength save against the Mind Blade DC or take 2d10 electrical damage, be knocked back 15 feet and be knocked prone. Damage increases to 3d10 at level 17. Successful save to take half damage and not be knocked back or knocked prone.
The Sun God's Rebuke: The Mind Blade is infused with radiant solar energy, dealing 2d8 radiant damage, or 3d8 if the target is undead or otherwise adversely weak against radiant energy. The undead and denizens of the lower planes failing their save will be dismissed the Shadowfell or to their plane of origin. Charisma save for half damage and to avoid dismissal.
Calm Waters: Target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw against your Mind Blade DC or be put to sleep for up to 1 minute, if the target takes any damage during this time it wakes up or if another creature uses its action to wake the creature. This time increases to 2 minutes at level 10 and 3 minutes at level 17.
Freedom of Will: Upon making physical contact with a friendly target or successfully hitting a hostile target with a Mind Blade strike, the monk may remove one status effect from the target or themselves.
Fury of the Gods: Target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw against the monk's Mind Blade DC or become enraged. An enraged creature must spend its turn moving towards the nearest creature, friend or foe, and attack it if possible. It repeats the save at the end of each of its turns.
Spirit Command: Target must make a Wisdom save or be dominated, per the Dominate Person spell.
Wave of Terror: Mind Blade emits a blast of psychic terror. The target and every creature with equal or fewer total hit dice within 30 feet who can see the monk must make a Wisdom saving throw or become terrified of the monk until the end of their next turn.
Baneful Strike: Choose an item that the target is holding, it must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Mind Blade DC or drop the item.
Soul Rift:
At 17th level the Mind Blade monk gains the following ability. Once per day, on a successful attack with one of their Mind Blades, the monk can choose to spend 5 ki points to unleash powerful soul-crushing energies into the target. The target must make a Intelligence saving throw or have its mind and soul torn from its body, reducing them to 0 Hit Points and killing them. This ability also affects mindless/soul-less beings like the undead and magical constructs. An undead creature failing a Constitution save will have its ties to the Negative Material Plane/Shadowfell severed, destroying it. When used on a magical construct like a golem, upon a failed Constitution save the magical energies maintaining and animating the construct are unraveled, and the construct is unmade. If the target is pure spirit, astral or ethereal, it is reduced to 0 Hit Points and destroyed. In all cases, on a successful save, the target survives and instead takes 10d10 psychic damage.
Unbreakable Mind
After reaching 20th level, the mind of the monk following the Way of the Mind Blade has become so powerful that no creature can tamper with it. They are now immune to fear, charm, mind control effects and any other affect that would attempt to alter their mind.
I'm tempted to just make it into it's own ki base class, but I'm going to try to make it work as an Archtype for monk. The trouble is, there's so much that makes sense to add in and not enough places to logically put everything.
The Way of the Mind Blade:
Conjure Mind Blades
At 3rd level a monk choosing the Way of Soul Blade can now create semisolid blades composed of pure psychic energy that they have distilled from their minds. These blades typically extend from the monk's hands or fists by default, but can also be instantaneously transferred to their feet or whatever part of the body they are using for unarmed strikes at that moment (elbows, knees, etc.) By default Mind Blades are 6 inches in length. They can be lengthened or shorted by 6 inches at will, for a maximum of 1 foot and a minimum of 0 feet. (A 0 foot Mind Blade still exists right at the surface of the skin on the monk's hand, foot, etc.) The Mind Blade glows phosphorescently in the color of their soul, and sheds dim light in a 5 feet radius. Strikes with these mind blades count as unarmed strikes and follow the monk's unarmed attack progression in every way, with the exceptions that they deal piercing/slashing damage, may offer slightly increased reach and are not physically part of the monk's body. The blades last until the monk dispels them or loses consciousness. The monk can choose to throw one of their mind blades per round as a ranged weapon with a range of 30/60 feet. They use their Wisdom modifier to making such attacks. Whether or not the attack hits, the mind blade then dissipates and must be reformed by the monk. Mind Blades function as magical weapons for the purpose of hitting targets resistant to non-magical attacks.
The monk can manifest and use two Mind Blades at a time, typically one extending from each hand or fist. In addition, the monk has the ability to infuse their Mind Blades with destructive psychic energy. By spending 1 ki point (one 1 ki point per Mind Blade if they so choose), they can charge their Mind Blades and on the next successful attack the Mind Blade deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage to the target. This psychic damage increases by a 1d8 when they reach 7th level (2d8), 12th level (3d8), 17th level (4d8).
Mind Blade Enhancement:
At level 6 the monk's Mind Blades gain a bonus of +1 to attack and damage rolls and are treated as +1 magical weapons. This bonus increases to a +2 at level 11 and a +3 at level 17.
In addition, the monk gains the ability to absorb enchantments from magical weapons and permanently infuse them into their Mind Blades. To do this, the monk must take one hour during a long rest focusing on absorbing the enchantments from any magic weapon they are attuned to, then infusing it into their Mind Blades. All of the weapon's magical properties are permanently transferred into their Mind Blades. They can only have one infusion at a time affecting both mind blades equally. If the monk attempts to infuse the enchantments of another magical weapon, the previous Mind Blade enchantments are defused and permanently lost. Once used, the magical weapon permanently loses all of it's magical properties and enchantments. This ability only functions on magical weapons and will not work on other magical items. The Mind Blades effective enchantment bonus can exceed, but may never drop below its level based magical bonus: So +1 at level 6, +2 at level 11, +3 at level 17. For example, a level 17 Way of the Mind Blade monk absorbing a Scimitar of Speed +1 would result in both of their Mind Blades becoming Mind Blades of Speed +3.
The monk also gains the ability to alter their Mind Blade's form. The monk can spend one full round to mentally reform both mind blades into any weapon they are proficient with. The Mind Blade will continue to glow phosphorescently and will remain the color of the monk's soul. The monk can reform his Mind Blades into either two one-handed weapons or one two-handed weapon. As long as the monk maintains passive focus and is within 60 feet of it, the Mind Blade will remain in the chosen form for as long as they want it to. Loss of focus (example: going to sleep or losing consciousness) causes the weapon to dissipate, just like the Mind Blades it was formed from. The monk must reform the weapon if he wants it back again.
Due to the rigorous mental training and increased affinity with their Mind Blades, at level 6 monks following the Way of the Mind Blade gain resistance to Psychic damage and advantage in all saving throws against fear, charm, mind control effects and any affect that would attempt to alter your mind.
Power Of The Soul:
Starting at 11th level, a Mind Blade monk can use their soul to conjure additional effects onto your attacks. When their attack hits, they can spend 1 ki point to choose one effect to add to their attack. The monk can use this ability a number of times equal to their Wisdom Modifier + their Proficiency Bonus, and regain all uses at the end of a long rest.
Flames of Hatred: The monk's attack damage type becomes fire based and the target must make a Dexterity Saving Throw against your Mind Blade DC or be set on fire, a target that is on fire takes 2d10 fire damage at the start of their turn until they or another creature uses an action to douse the flames. This damage increases to 3d10 at level 17. Creature making a successful save takes half damage and is not set on fire.
Soul of Ice: The monk's Soul Blade attacks are infused with icy cold. The target must make a Constitution save or take 3d6 cold damage and is slowed for 1d4 rounds. This damage increases to 4d6 at level 17. Targets making a successful save take half damage and are not slowed.
Touch of of the Thunder God: The monk's Mind Blade is infused with electricity. The target must make a Strength save against the Mind Blade DC or take 2d10 electrical damage, be knocked back 15 feet and be knocked prone. Damage increases to 3d10 at level 17. Successful save to take half damage and not be knocked back or knocked prone.
The Sun God's Rebuke: The Mind Blade is infused with radiant solar energy, dealing 2d8 radiant damage, or 3d8 if the target is undead or otherwise adversely weak against radiant energy. The undead and denizens of the lower planes failing their save will be dismissed the Shadowfell or to their plane of origin. Charisma save for half damage and to avoid dismissal.
Calm Waters: Target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw against your Mind Blade DC or be put to sleep for up to 1 minute, if the target takes any damage during this time it wakes up or if another creature uses its action to wake the creature. This time increases to 2 minutes at level 10 and 3 minutes at level 17.
Freedom of Will: Upon making physical contact with a friendly target or successfully hitting a hostile target with a Mind Blade strike, the monk may remove one status effect from the target or themselves.
Fury of the Gods: Target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw against the monk's Mind Blade DC or become enraged. An enraged creature must spend its turn moving towards the nearest creature, friend or foe, and attack it if possible. It repeats the save at the end of each of its turns.
Spirit Command: Target must make a Wisdom save or be dominated, per the Dominate Person spell.
Wave of Terror: Mind Blade emits a blast of psychic terror. The target and every creature with equal or fewer total hit dice within 30 feet who can see the monk must make a Wisdom saving throw or become terrified of the monk until the end of their next turn.
Baneful Strike: Choose an item that the target is holding, it must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Mind Blade DC or drop the item.
Soul Rift:
At 17th level the Mind Blade monk gains the following ability. Once per day, on a successful attack with one of their Mind Blades, the monk can choose to spend 5 ki points to unleash powerful soul-crushing energies into the target. The target must make a Intelligence saving throw or have its mind and soul torn from its body, reducing them to 0 Hit Points and killing them. This ability also affects mindless/soul-less beings like the undead and magical constructs. An undead creature failing a Constitution save will have its ties to the Negative Material Plane/Shadowfell severed, destroying it. When used on a magical construct like a golem, upon a failed Constitution save the magical energies maintaining and animating the construct are unraveled, and the construct is unmade. If the target is pure spirit, astral or ethereal, it is reduced to 0 Hit Points and destroyed. In all cases, on a successful save, the target survives and instead takes 10d10 psychic damage.
Unbreakable Mind
After reaching 20th level, the mind of the monk following the Way of the Mind Blade has become so powerful that no creature can tamper with it. They are now immune to fear, charm, mind control effects and any other affect that would attempt to alter their mind.
I'm tempted to just make it into it's own ki base class, but I'm going to try to make it work as an Archtype for monk. The trouble is, there's so much that makes sense to add in and not enough places to logically put everything.